Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: BobW on Thursday,January 07, 2021, 02:14:38 PM
-
I'm trying to remove the rear wheel bearings on one side from the hub carrier. The axle is out. Since the inner bearing has a smaller OD than the outer one and they're locked together by the bearing spacer, I'm guessing they're extracted together towards the outside. Despite a five-pound slide hammer on an extractor, I seem to be getting nowhere. Does the hub carrier have to be removed from the radius arm first? I've done this job before and I don't remember it being like this. :headbanger:
-
Never removed them myself but the manual says to:
(I) Remove the bearing housing from the radius arm.
(Ii) Immerse in hot water
(Iii) move the bearing spacer to one side and drift the bearing out
(iv) repeat for the other side
Ie bearings both come out from the side they are fitted to and you have to push the spacer to one side in order drift first bearing out from opposite side
I guess you could possibly do it on the car, other more experienced members will surely clarify (as well as reminding you to make sure you use a hardened bearing spacer!)
-
As Silverbeast has said, the bearings are inserted from either side and each sits against a land in the upright - you can’t pull both out from one side (without breaking the upright!).
-
Thanks. That's what I get for overthinking it. Last time I did this, 20 years ago, I was probably looking for the easy way to get them out.
-
The outer bearing sits against a land in the housing. The inner bearing does not, it's close, but not quite. It rests against the spacer.
I just use a big screwdriver to push the spacer to one side. Now you can drive one of the bearings out. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS BY TAPPING BOTH SIDES ALTERNATELY so it goes out square. If you drive it out crooked/sideways, it will ovalise the housing and your new bearing will be loose.
-
Closing this loop, the bearings can't be removed with the bearing housing attached to the radius arm because the holes in the radius arm are slightly too small. At least the inner one is. The workshop manual indeed tells me to remove the bearing housing first. The bearings tapped out easily once I had the housing in my vice. Thanks for the replies.